In some ways, I am your typical physicist (whatever that means). In other ways... not so much. I like Science (with a capital S!), reading, and other nerdy things. But I also love dancing, drinking, and having fun with cool people.

I'm very passionate about things that interest me. These include but are not limited to board games, learning new things, good music, liberal politics, eliminating poverty, geek culture, ninjas, and pirates. And of course, physics.

I have a great sense of humor. It's even better if you appreciate obscure, geeky humor and/or terrible puns. I can often be sarcastic but I'm almost never mean.

I quote things a lot: movies, TV, books, song lyrics, historical figures, whatever comes to mind. It may or may not be relevant to the conversation.

On that note, my favorite quote, with which I agree wholeheartedly:
"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity." - Albert Einstein

I'm super liberal, but I can disagree without being disagreeable. Some of my best friends are on the opposite side of the political spectrum (or compass, if you prefer).

My religious and philosophical beliefs can't be summarized easily. I consider myself a Lutheran, but I don't take everything literally and I have no desire to push my beliefs on others. And I think regardless of faith (or lack thereof), we can all agree that loving your neighbor and treating others how you would like to be treated are good ideas.

Back in the day, I was both valedictorian and prom king. And yes, I went to a public school. I still cannot explain this.

I used to live in California, but now I live in Wisconsin. People make fun of me for wearing a jacket almost all the time, but it's freaking cold here!

I play percussion. Mostly xylophone and marimba, but also tympani and a little bit of drum set. When bored I will play random drum solos on any nearby objects.

Last but certainly not least, I am a wild monkey of love.

I am a grad student in physics, going for a Ph.D. I study high-energy particle theory - I want to unlock the secrets of the universe. When I (finally) get my degree I'd like to get an academic position at whatever university will pay me to think about physics and occasionally teach a class.

science, math, puzzles, problem solving, logic, and acquiring huge amounts of random useless knowledge. Give me a riddle to solve or take me to trivia night and you'll see.

I'm also an awesome dancer, at least in my opinion. I have no formal training, but I don't let that stand in my way.

I know a lot of lame jokes, and a couple of good ones. I'm capable of making comments that are either witty, sarcastic, or obnoxious, depending on who you ask. And I almost never miss an opportunity for a "that's what she said" or "your mom" joke.

is my overall geekiness, but I like to think it's in a good way! I can be very quiet and shy at first, but a good joke or an interesting conversation will draw me out of my shell. People might also notice the fedora that I frequently wear, or that I'm not afraid of dancing crazily in front of strangers.

I like a lot of comedies, especially Monty Python, or anything incredibly silly but quotable. A lot of my favorite movies are sci-fi or fantasy: Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Serenity, etc. I like movies based on comic books, except for the terrible ones. I'm also secure enough in my masculinity to admit that I like most musicals.

I have a huge reading list encompassing pretty much all topics that I've promised myself I will get through eventually. Most of what I read is non-fiction, just because there's so much interesting stuff to learn out there. But I also like anything by J.R.R. Tolkien, Douglas Adams, Kurt Vonnegut, or Isaac Asimov. I'm always looking for new recommendations as well.

I have very eclectic taste in music. I'll listen to almost anything except rap, country, and terrible pop music. I especially like classical (my favorite composer is Tchaikovsky), jazz (especially swing), bluegrass, traditional Celtic, Celtic punk, classic rock, and lots of other stuff. My Pandora is seriously confused. I also listen to NPR a lot. As with books, I'm always open to suggestions.

I know this wasn't asked, but my favorite TV shows are Firefly, Dollhouse, Futurama, The Big Bang Theory, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and MST3K. I like anything clever or surreal or something with an interesting premise. I recently gave up watching cable news for the sake of my health and sanity.

My favorite foods are those that contain large quantities of meat and cheese. The Wisconsin diet suits me pretty well, actually. I like all kinds of ethnic food, but I don't know enough restaurants in Madison. I consider caffeine, alcohol, and chocolate to be vital food groups. Luckily I have a freakishly high metabolism. I also love discovering great food for the first time.

books - I'm behind enough on my reading as it is.
my laptop - I <3 this thing
the internet - an incredibly useful source of information AND an incredible way to procrastinate
my friends - I'm introverted, but not anti-social
coffee - I think caffeine withdrawal would kill me
science - it's my passion to try to understand the universe

life, the universe, and everything.
Or why some people are stupid and/or jerks.
Or the song that is stuck in my head that day.
Or some political issue I'm concerned about.
Or something I read recently.
Or a problem I'm trying to solve.
Or why I can't sleep.
Or how best to act on my beliefs.
I'm pretty much always thinking about something, to the point where it may seem I'm lost in my own world, but it may or may not be deep or important.

hanging out somewhere cool with a few friends. Maybe a bar, maybe someone's house. I know a few fun places to go, but I'm almost always up for going someplace I've never been! I may also just be relaxing at home after a stressful week.

I know all of the words to a mathematical love song called "Finite Simple Group of Order Two." This indicates that I am both nerdy and sappy. Hurray.

you have something interesting to say, a humorous observation, a new theory, or just a good book/movie/music/activity recommendation.